the role of gut-brain axis in parkinson disease

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease affecting the central nervous system as well as the motor system. PD is considered to be a progressive disease that worsens over time as the disease state becomes more strongly established. PD is characterised by an abnormal accumulation of the protein alpha-synuclein (α-syn), a major component of Lewy bodies, as well as the death of the brain’s basal ganglia. However, it is likely that the pathology is more complex than this: for example, TRF4 pathways may also continuously send messages to the brain, leading to further progression of the disease. The present critical analysis aimed to understand the role of the gut–brain axis in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease and determine how the current knowledge could be used to support the development of new therapies. In this study, an imbalance in gut microbiota was observed to lead to inflammation, which can then facilitate the release of short-chain fatty acids and, consequently, promote inflammation within the gut. This process increases the chance of α-syn deposition within the gastrointestinal tract, which is known to travel through the gastrointestinal tract to the brain and give rise to the motor symptoms of PD